Local resident Thomas Cox, 45, had been stopped on a hit-and-run accusation in January. As he stood near his Hyundai, he saw Officer Brian Knorr toss a loaded gun into his car's trunk. Later, another officer "discovered" the gun as the police officers at the scene laughed. Police Chief Kenneth Small admitted to the Orange County Register newspaper that this was a regular training exercise.

Cox filed a complaint and the training tactics became a subject of his October trial. Cox was convicted and the police officers exonerated.

Las Vegas, Nevada police used similar training methods that left a man falsely charged with drug possession because police failed to retrieve the planted contraband.